Act 22:3  I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.

1. A Jew
2. Born Tarsus
3. city in Cilicia
4. Student of Gamaliel
5. Taught according to fathers
6. Zealous toward God

Deu 27:26  ” ‘A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by putting them into practice.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’ 

Gal 1:14  And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. (Oral Torah)

These two statements tell us that Paul was observing ‘oral’ law. And, he was far surpassing in observing these rabbinical legalized customs and traditions.

In the Wilderness at Sinai the Torah was given orally to the people.
At the REbuilding of Solomon’s Temple the Torah was written down.

Shu’al was committed to the written Torah and also the ‘oral’ customs and traditions passed down from the Rebuilding of theTemple until then.

This second ‘oral torah’ was added to ‘The Torah’ which had been only heard ‘orally’ in The Wilderness.

There is a beautiful story of over 120 Men of the Great Assembly including Ezra and Nehemiah at the time of the rebuilding of Solomon’s Temple.

History: The tribes of Ya’cov (Israel) move to Babylon around 587 BC. They return at 517 BC and by 516 BC have removed their foreign wives commanded by Ezra and now the tribes surround outside the broken walls of Jerusalem. Many Jews did not want to leave their idolatrous Babylonia wives nor give up their children. It was hard to return to a broken-down land. This reminds us of Gaza that was so beautiful and when given to the Palestians under the Clinton administration, they tore down everything beautiful to make it a military post for Hamas.

The rebirth this nation was difficult with fighting to return still going on as it does today. King Cyrus and President Trump pattern each other sending aid to help save The Promised Land from God’s enemies. King Artezeres is the king who married Hadassah, now Queen Esther. It is believed that he carried the title Cyrus of whom helped bring back The Temple.

In these critical Days of Return, thousands of men wanted to have the oral Torah put in writing. 120 men were chosen to meet in separate private areas to then return after months of writing it to confer with the other groups. Astonishingly, each had written down what the others had written down exactly. It was a sign from God that these would be The Words of the Instructions given to the children at Mt. Sinai. The Amidah, The Standing Prayer was also written by these men which included Ezra and Nehemiah which is still said today in their daily prayers.

Gal 1:14  And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 

I might be guessing at this, but perhaps the apostle Paul even could recite The Admida by memory…which would have been quite amazing considering it’s length.

They would say this prayer standing three times a day at 9 am, 12, 3 pm.

Paul obeyed the written Torah and he was zealous for the ways of the fathers that came before him. These other ways are called, ‘oral laws’ of the rabbi.

Rabbinites believe Sinai is a source for volumes of traditions and teachings passed down by mouth from teacher to student.

Lev 25:1  And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,
Lev 25:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them,

The oral law of Judaism in Hebrew is, “Torah sh’be’al peh” – the torah that is in the mouth.

Are these rabbinic teachings to be considered as truth? We can say they are truth as those great men saw them as good things.

Are these rabbinic teachings legally binding?

Yeshua Jesus listened to these teachings and rebuked some of them.

Mat 16:11 KJV – How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 
Mat 16:12  Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Mat 16:11 CJB – How can you possibly think I was talking to you about bread? Guard yourselves from the hametz of the P’rushim and Tz’dukim!” 
Mat 16:12  Then they understood—they were to guard themselves not from yeast for bread but from the teaching of the P’rushim and Tz’dukim. 

These docttrines and teachings of the leaders of that day added their own ‘instructions’ just as we add our own instructions.

The Torah is NOT what is being talked about. It is man’s doctrines that hinder God’s Bride (The Church) to be in her correct wedding dress…The Living Torah with garments stained in blood is how our Messiah Yeshua should be described.

This is very important to comprehend what is happening here.

Is The Torah being told to guard against it? NO!
Is it The Torah that holds the ‘doctrines’? NO!

Is The Torah today looked upon as evil? YES!

Are we to guard the Torah? YES!

Mat 15:2  “Why is it that your talmidim break the Tradition of the Elders? They don’t do n’tilat-yadayim before they eat!” 

Mat 15:5  But you say, ‘If anyone says to his father or mother, “I have promised to give to God what I might have used to help you,” 
Mat 15:6  then he is rid of his duty to honor his father or mother.’ Thus by your tradition you make null and void the word of God! 

Mat 15:9  Their worship of me is useless, because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.’ ” 

Mat 15:18  But what comes out of your mouth is actually coming from your heart, and that is what makes a person unclean. 

No food laws were cancelled in his conversation.

John teaches Torah and is killed for it!

Mat 14:4  since Yochanan had told Herod, “It violates the Torah for you to have her as your wife.”

Yeshua Jesus Obeyed Written Torah

Mat 14:36  They begged him that the sick people might only touch the tzitzit on his robe, and all who touched it were completely healed. 

The Torah instructs:
Num 15:38  “Speak to the people of Isra’el, instructing them to make, through all their generations, tzitziyot on the corners of their garments, and to put with the tzitzit on each corner a blue thread. 

Num 15:39  It is to be a tzitzit for you to look at and thereby remember all of Adonai’s mitzvot and obey them, so that you won’t go around wherever your own heart and eyes lead you to prostitute yourselves; 
Num 15:40  but it will help you remember and obey all my mitzvot and be holy for your God. 
Num 15:41  I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt in order to be your God. I am Adonai your God.”

Mat 16:12  Then they understood—they were to guard themselves not from yeast for bread but from the teaching of the P’rushim and Tz’dukim. 
Shu’al was vicious against those who would NOT following the ORAL rabbinic laws.

Act 9:2  and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Dammesek, authorizing him to arrest any people he might find, whether men or women, who belonged to “the Way,” and bring them back to Yerushalayim. 

On the road and near Dammesek a LIGHT flashed around Shu’al causing him to fall to the ground.

Acts 9 transforms Shu’al completely and he trashes ALL of what the Pharisees had added to The Torah.

Powerful Words – “I am Yeshua, and you are persecuting me. But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you have to do.”

Yeshua’s name means: I am your salvation. He declares to Shu’al:

I AM your salvation. You persecute me (when you persecute my followers). It was a Get up, Go to city, Do what you’re told experience.

They are mature in the Torah only and if anything else persuades them then God will reveal it to them as Shu’al was reminded.
Php 3:15  Therefore, as many of us as are mature, let us keep paying attention to this; and if you are differently minded about anything, God will also reveal this to you. 
Php 3:16  Only let our conduct fit the level we have already reached. 

Torah Messiach Elements –

Three Days he never saw, ate or drank. Shu’al is in his own darkness left to praying…just as Jonah was left for three days as a sign to Yeshua in the earth three days and nights to set captives free.

The Torah would go to the world after the Hebrew’s 3-day healing from circumcision.
The Living Torah (Yeshua) would rise up after 3 days to heal the world.
The Living Torah (Messiah) will return in what is known as The Third Day.

Gal 3:10  For everyone who depends on legalistic (oral) observance of Torah commands (which is the oral law) lives under a curse, since it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not keep on doing everything written in the Scroll of the Torah.” 

Here we see the legalistic (oral) observances being called a curse.
Shu’al is speaking about the difference in this sentence.

We are Cursed for NOT keeping what is written.
We live under a curse if we live under the ‘oral’.

Let us please understand that there are TWO different things being discussed.

Oral Torah – from the Pharisees…which we still see today.
Written Torah – from Mt. Sinai – which should be honored today.

No one is righteous through oral legalism.

Are we CURSED for obeying The Torah? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Deu 27:26  ” ‘A curse on anyone who does not confirm the words of this Torah by putting them into practice.’ All the people are to say, ‘Amen!’ 

We can NOT add or take away from God’s commands.

Deu 4:2  In order to obey the mitzvot of Adonai your God which I am giving you, do not add to what I am saying, and do not subtract from it. 

Deu 13:1  “Everything I am commanding you, you are to take care to do. Do not add to it or subtract from it.

Pro 30:6  Don’t add anything to his words; or he will rebuke you, and you be found a liar. 

The Bottom Line – “Pharisaic oral law, tradition,and authority was the context and reason for Paul’s letter to the Galatians. The Galatians community was under a not-so-subtle attack on against their stance in upholding only the Written Word of Moses in it’s full context.”

So who was trying a hostile take over of the Gentiles? Yes, the Legalistic Pharisees with their oral traditions….ORAL TORAH.

Shu’al was now on the other side of these ‘oral high fences’ that were permeating all their cities. He understood these ‘oral traditions’ but now would only uphold The Torah that was once known as The Oral Torah. It had many names also being known as The Seat of Moses. Yeshua gave honor to The Seat of Moses (Torah) but would not give honor to The Oral Rabbinic that now seems to take over God’s instructions at Mt. Sinai.

Rabbinic Oral Law – very broad subject which encompasses many aspects of Jewish law and tradition.

Avi ben Mordechai Galatians – Quick Reference Pocket Commentary states:

Rabbinic Oral Law is a catchall for these four categories: 1. Halachot, 2. Minagim, 3. Takanot and Gezerot, 4. Ma’asim.

1. Halachot – New laws derived from scripture although usually twisted out of context or manipulated and forced to reveal things that are not there in the plain reading of scripture.
2. Minhagim – Jewish customs that became law by sheer fact that something may be commonly accepted and widely practiced. You see this in Acts 15:1, where it refers to circumcision as a ‘custom of Moses”, which is a clear sign that this is a reference tot he Phariastic custom on circumcision.
3. Takanot and Gezerot – Enactments and decrees invented out of thin air, with no spiritual justication. Yeshua makes a reference to these in Matthew 15:3, 6 referring to voluminous Pharisaic traditions.
4. Ma’asim – Deed or actions of previous tzadikim- “righteous” men or rabbis- that become law just because they did something and, therefore, it makes their ma’aseh or action valid and thus, legally binding on all Israel. An example of ma’asim is ‘works of the law’.

All four of these categories of law establish a central rabbinic authority for all Israel.

This is a lot to take in. Let’s review the four categories.

1. We have laws being made from twisting scripture out of context. Hmm. It sure seems our churches today are guilty of this. So, we can call them part of this Oral Law crowd.
2. Yeshua Jesus will answer the question by quoting The Torah to them.
   Mat 15:2  “Why is it that your talmidim break the Tradition of the Elders? They don’t do n’tilat-yadayim before they eat!” 

Mat 15:3  He answered, “Indeed, why do you break the command of God by your tradition? 
Mat 15:4  For God said, ‘Honor your father and mother,’ and ‘Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.’ 

God’s command that had the first blessing and thus the first cursing to it as NOT being observed. It had the the death penalty attached to it. Whoah is us in this 21st century as we see our earth’s population perish because they never saved their parents during our plague. Now, we see more and more dying between the ages of 18-62 with a 40 per cent increase in the last six months of 2021 than in 2019. Did I just pull that out of the air on who to blame for our troubles? Some will say I did but I say I give credit due where credit is due…our Creator is doing this. What is he doing? He’s following The Torah of YHWH of which these Elders didn’t want to believe either.

Last night in my personal family I just witnessed a truck being totaled in an accident when loaning that vehicle to a family member. Two weeks ago the book of Galatians was discussed with this owner. Days later after providing material to answer their questions the response came in a text, “Why would we listen to half truth?”

Where did the boldness to say that come from? Yes, the pastors of whom control the sheep through KJV only…and certainly no other commentares are to be read, nor any televison preachers. Minhagim is active in the Christian church as only New Testament thinking is allowed among their sheep.

WWJS – What Would Jesus Say? “Indeed, why do you REMOVE the commands of God by your tradition?”

3. Takanot and Gezerot – In the Christian community we are told, ” Speaking in tongues is of the devil. Physical healings are of the devil and certainly miracles are not true. In the Jewish comunity we are told, “The giftings and calling are going to be claimed by The Jews. If you want them, you must convert to Judaisam.” Takanot and Gezerot are alive today which is ‘quenching the Holy Spirit’. And what do we know about the Holy Spirit? There is no salvation without that upon you. This leaves us with a plague because we have rejected YHWH’s spirit on us.
4. Ma’asim is leaning back to what we always thought we understood to be right. Pastors will tell about their father being an old drunk and then getting saved and even perhaps becoming the pastor of a church. These people will even preach from their father’s old sermon notes or their own notes from years pasat. They are not searching out new understanding, but stay stuck in ‘respect’ of a mere human being…the old pastors..

The old wine skins can not be poured into because the fermeneting of the new wine will cause it to leak. These teachers are compared to ‘old wine skins” that don’t want to have their thinking challenged. It finally comes down to get the people to ‘say a prayer’ of salvation’ and then ‘sit there’ and yet you don’t get to have an opinion. .We have become a number count of how many in Sunday School and church. When you count every kids head on a bus, the bus will soon grow empty. Ma’asim honors the past human being more than The Scriptures.

Teaching the sheep to “study to show thyself approved a workman of the Lord” has turned into “Read through the Bible in a year and get a prize. Huge numbers of God’s chidlren are reading The Torah through in one year with some groups taking three years to discuss it.

Yes, today we live in a world that the pastors complaint about ‘The Oral Rabbi’ when they fit ALL four of descriptions themselves.

Mat 15:7  CJB – You hypocrites! Yesha`yahu was right when he prophesied about you, 
Mat 15:8  ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me. 
Mat 15:9  Their worship of me is useless, because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.’ ” 

King James Version

Mat 15:7  Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 
Mat 15:8  This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 
Mat 15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.